Heart Stopping Meatloaf

Shows like Epic Mealtime are such bad influences. After watching some of their videos on Youtube I went ahead and made this heart stopping meatloaf. It's simple, it's yummy, and boy is it a heart attack waiting to happen lol.

Ingredients:
1lb ground beef
1 finely chopped clove of garlic
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1 pkg uncooked bacon
cheddar cheese (shredded)

Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk and then mix together with ground beef, garlic, salt, egg, and red pepper

Then make a weave out of the bacon reserving 2 slices

Take half of the meat and make a flat log shape and put cheddar and extra bacon in the middle

Take the rest of the meat and cover the other meat and form into a log.

Then wrap the meatloaf in the bacon weave and bake in the oven at 350 until the bacon is crispy and the center of the meat is cooked.

Homemade Falafel

Here's another yummy food from the Mediterranean and Middle East. It's made up of beans, peas and various herbs and spices. Although this food is relatively healthy and vegetarian friendly it does not lack in flavor. It is a bit time consuming but worth every minute of preparation.

Ingredients:
2 cups dried garbanzo beans
1 1/2 cup dried fava beans (peeled if possible)
1 cup cilantro (coriander leaves)
1/2 cup parsley
8 garlic cloves minced
3-4 tsp salt
1 tbs coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 very large onion coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp blk pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda, added 15 minutes before frying
1/2 tsp baking powder

Soak the beans overnight.

Drain the beans and place into food processor and blend well until crumbly and place in a large bowl.

Then take the parsley, cilantro, garlic, onion and blend in the food processor until a paste-like consistency. Mix well with beans.

Mix in the salt, black pepper, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, breadcrumbs to the bean mixture.

15-20 minutes before frying, add baking soda, baking powder and flour

Form mixture into small balls and deep fry until browned

Drain falafels on a paper towel and serve with tahini

Fresh Hummus

Typically the words "delicious", and "vegetarian" don't go in the same sentence but in this case it actually is. A lot Middle Eastern dishes are vegetarian and have no lack in flavor. Hummus is an example of that. Hummus is a dish that is usually served as an appetizer or a light and very healthy but very tasty snack and usually is accompanied by toasted or fresh pita. It is made up of ground up chickpeas (or garbanzo beans as some call them). This recipe is simple and will take you 10 minutes to make. How much easier could it get?

Ingredients:
- 1 16 oz can of chickpeas or 16 oz freshly soaked chickpeas
- Juice from 1/2 a lemon
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil


Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid.


Combine all ingredients except olive oil and blend well.


Transfer to a bowl and make an indentation in the center of the hummus.


Add olive oil in the indentation and garnish with parsley


Refrigerates for 3 days and freezes for 1 month.

Homemade Sweet Tea

Ok so today's post isn't a food recipe but it's still just as good. I love southern sweet tea so I experimented with a bunch of different teas until I found one that tasted perfect with it. It makes a really refreshing drink after being out in the heat. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
6 tea bags of Ceylon Tea
1 cup sugar (you can use more or less depending on your taste)
1 gallon water

In large pot bring water almost to a boil and add tea bags.

Let water boil for several minutes and then remove from heat and let the tea steep for 15 minutes

Remove tea bags and stir in sugar until dissolved.

Let chill and serve.

Sloppy Joes

This is much better than that canned stuff you buy at the stores and just as easy to make!

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 Green Bell Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
• 3/4 cup ketchup or diced tomatoes
• 3 teaspoons brown sugar
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp soy sauce

Directions

1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, onion, and green pepper; drain off liquids.
2. Stir in the garlic powder, vinegar, soy sauce, mustard, ketchup, and brown sugar; mix thoroughly. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 

Spicy Pepper Steak

1 Green Bell Pepper
1 Large Onion
1/4 cup soy sauce
8  tbsp hot sauce
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 pkg stir fry steak strips or 2  large steaks cut into strips
Olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Step 1: Marinade steak in hot sauce, soy sauce, salt & pepper, and a pinch of garlic powder for several hours.

Step 2: After steak has marinated, cut the onion and bell peppers into strips (if you cut the onion next to an open flame your eyes won't water/tear)

Step 3: Put peppers, onions, olive oil, in frying pan

Step 4: Saute bell peppers & onions until onions are golden/translucent in color.

Step 5: Place steak in the frying pan and cook with peppers & onions. Add crushed red pepper, garlic powder. Cover and stir occasionally until ready.


Goes Good With:
White Rice
Mashed Potatoes
Steamed Broccoli
Green Beans

Chicken Quesadillas

 This is another recipe that my friend had shared with me. I did change the recipe a bit but only for the chicken. This is makes a great meal whether it's lunch, dinner or a snack.

Chicken brine:

2 1/2 cups Water

1 1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Pepper

1/16 tsp Cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp Red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp Garlic powder

1 Chicken bullion cube

In baking dish combine all of the ingredients and then add the chicken. Let it sit for several hours or overnight

Ingredients:

6 Strips of Bacon, diced

1 Red Pepper

1 tbsp Garlic, minced

1/2 Onion, chopped

Cheddar

Chicken breasts or tenderloins

Tortillas 

Take chicken and brine water and add the minced garlic and red pepper and place into the oven at 350 for an hour or until it becomes tender and falls apart.

Remove chicken from the oven and tear into pieces. Remove red peppers as well.

In a skillet cook bacon and onion until tender and done. Remove from skillet

Lay large tortilla flat and on half of the tortilla place cheddar, then chicken, then red peppers, then bacon and onions and then topped with cheese and then fold over the tortilla so that it looks like half of a circle.

In a large fry pan melt a tbsp butter and heat the quesadilla on low-med heat until cheese melts and tortilla is slightly browned.